Customer Reviews

La Fete Sauvage

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

CAM have released several versions of this soundtrack, bungling the job each time. The album listed here comprises one track of another Vangelis scored film (known as "Ignacio" or "Entends-tu Les Chiens Aboyer") and one track of the "La Fete Sauvage" soundtrack.

To find out how to identify a version that actually has the proper "La Fete Sauvage" soundtrack, go to the Vangelis Elsewhere site: ...

I own the original LP (vynil) album, and I like most of it. Side 1 of the LP begins with a short and very lively instrumental tune that joins electronics with african drums. After this tune finishes, a series of african chants, drums and lion roars are introduced and lasts 10 minutes or so, being the low point of the album. Side 2 of the LP is full of beatiful melodies, with hints of "L'apocalypse des animaux" and "Opera Sauvage", being the high point of the album.

Unfortunately, on the CD album the side 2 of the LP album is joined with the side 2 of the "Ignacio" album, which I also own as both LP and CD, therefore omitting the side 1 of the original "Fete sauvage" LP. Although some of the deleted music is the low point of the album, as I mentioned earlier, I miss the introductory tune very much, and I would have preferred to have the complete "Fete Sauvage" instead of having half of it and having twice the second half of "Ignacio"!

I am not familiar with the apparently controversial recording history of this disc, but the Barclay disc that I have is a very nice remaster, the African singing and animal sounds suspended in space. I am glad I discovered this disc with a single, negative review, because for those of you who are discovering Vangelis and want more or who don't know of this work, it will be a delightlful surprise. I only found out about it years after its initial release. A rocking introduction with African rhythms and instruments gives way to atmospheric synthesizers, electric piano, and more creative, danceable African percussion.

After about 18 minutes (my version of this, at least, does not have indexing, but rather a single gigantic track nearly forty minutes long), a jazzy, contemplative song without words is gently introduced, followed by a series of uninterrupted tunes, all featuring lovely harmonies and electronic orchestration. After reaching a rather maudlin climax, Vangelis launches into an extended, spacey coda.

All in all, a lovely album, sure to please longtime fans.